Total Filings
63,245
#1 nationally
State profile · FY2024 · AOUSC
California Bankruptcy Filings
63,245 federal filings in FY2024 across 4 judicial districts and 38.97 million residents, Chapter 7, 11, 12, and 13, from AOUSC Judicial Caseload Statistics.
- 63,245
- Total filings FY2024
- 162.3
- Per 100k residents
- #29
- Per-capita rank
- 4
- Judicial districts
Data updated July 2026
The bottom line
California recorded 63,245 bankruptcy filings in FY2024 - 162.3 per 100,000 residents, the #29 lowest-to-mid rate among the 51 U.S. jurisdictions.
- 162.3
- filings per 100k
- #29
- per-capita rank (of 51)
- 69%
- Chapter 7 (liquidation)
- 28%
- Chapter 13 (repayment)
Statistical information only, not legal advice. Outcomes depend on attorney representation, district local rules, exemption law, and the means test. Consult a licensed bankruptcy attorney in California.
California chapter composition, FY2024
California chapter mix FY2024
Per 100,000
162.3
#29 per capita
Chapter 7
43,745
69% of total
Chapter 13
17,531
28% of total
Chapter 11
1,930
Business reorganization
Business
4,821
Of total filings
Peer states, per-capita filings near California
Rate per 100k population (decimal share) and total filings - California highlighted
Filing Trend by Year
| Year | Total | Ch. 7 | Ch. 13 |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2024 | 63,245 | 43,745 | 17,531 |
| FY2023 | 56,510 | 40,254 | 14,649 |
| FY2022 | 50,524 | 38,517 | 10,868 |
| FY2021 | 53,898 | 42,626 | 10,107 |
| FY2020 | 70,949 | 55,645 | 13,619 |
| FY2019 | 100,983 | 71,858 | 27,427 |
| FY2018 | 101,620 | 72,634 | 27,324 |
| FY2017 | 100,042 | 73,615 | 24,691 |
| FY2016 | 103,531 | 78,496 | 23,285 |
| FY2015 | 110,047 | 83,642 | 24,595 |
Federal Districts in California
Economic Context
Source: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics →
5.1%
Unemployment (2023)
162.3
Filings per 100k Pop.
Understanding This Data
Bankruptcy filing rates vary by state due to differences in exemption laws, wages, cost of living, consumer credit access, and legal culture. High per-capita rates often reflect historical patterns in consumer credit use and cultural attitudes toward debt relief. This data is aggregate statistics, it cannot predict individual case outcomes.
Filing Rate Score
162.3
Filings per 100,000 population
#29
Per-capita rank among 51 jurisdictions
California has a relatively low per-capita bankruptcy filing rate, ranking 29 out of 51 jurisdictions.
What the California Data Shows
In FY2024, California recorded 63,245 federal bankruptcy filings across a population of roughly 38.97 million, producing a per-capita rate of 162.3 filings per 100,000 residents. That rate places California at #29 among the 51 reporting jurisdictions (lower-middle nationally), while its raw filing volume ranks #1. Chapter 7 liquidations account for 69% of the state's caseload and Chapter 13 repayment plans for 28%, a split that reflects the state's exemption laws, income distribution, and the degree to which homeowners use Chapter 13 to cure mortgage arrears rather than surrender property under Chapter 7.
Cases are processed across 4 federal judicial districts in California, with business filings totaling 4,821 in FY2024 (including 1,930 Chapter 11 reorganizations). The 10-year trend available from AOUSC covers FY2015–FY2024, during which total California filings declined 42.5%. Unemployment in this state is 5.1% (2023), a macro indicator that typically correlates with bankruptcy volume on a 6–12 month lag, alongside consumer debt levels, medical cost exposure, and credit tightening cycles.
These figures describe the aggregate population of court filings; they do not forecast any individual case outcome. The chapter mix, per-capita rate, and district-level distribution here are influenced by local rules, trustee practices, attorney fee conventions, and state exemption generosity, all of which can change the benefits and risks of each filing path materially. This page is statistical information only and is not legal advice; residents considering bankruptcy in California should consult a licensed bankruptcy attorney familiar with the specific district's procedures before relying on any pattern described above.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many bankruptcy cases were filed in California in FY2024?
California had 63,245 total bankruptcy filings in FY2024, ranking #1 nationally by total volume. Of these, 43,745 were Chapter 7 liquidation cases and 17,531 were Chapter 13 repayment plan cases.
What is the per-capita bankruptcy filing rate in California?
California had 162.3 bankruptcy filings per 100,000 population in FY2024, ranking #29 among all 51 U.S. jurisdictions. Per-capita rates account for population size and give a more comparable, like-for-like measure of filing activity than raw totals, though the rate is also shaped by state exemption laws and legal culture, not purely by financial distress.
Which bankruptcy chapter is most common in California?
Chapter 7 (liquidation) accounted for 69% of all California bankruptcy filings in FY2024. Chapter 13 (wage earner repayment plans) made up 28%. The Chapter 7/13 split varies by state based on income levels, exemption laws, and homeownership rates.
How many federal judicial districts are in California?
California has 4 federal judicial districts: Central District of California, Eastern District of California, Northern District of California, Southern District of California. All bankruptcy cases are filed in federal court, not state court. Each district has its own bankruptcy court with local rules and procedures.
How does unemployment in California relate to bankruptcy filings?
California's unemployment rate was 5.1% in 2023. While unemployment and bankruptcy filings often correlate, the relationship is not direct, bankruptcy filings also depend on consumer debt levels, state exemption laws, legal costs, and access to credit. Rising unemployment can increase filings with a 6-12 month lag.
Bankruptcy Guides
Chapter 7 vs Chapter 13
What the data shows about which path filers choose.
The Means Test
How income determines Chapter 7 eligibility.
State Exemptions
What assets you can protect in bankruptcy.
Bankruptcy Timeline
From filing to discharge, step by step.
Business Bankruptcy
Chapter 11 restructuring trends and patterns.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Related
Data sourced from Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts (AOUSC) Judicial Caseload Statistics. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainBankruptcy Editorial
Every figure on PlainBankruptcy is rendered directly from federal court source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal court source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.